This invention relates to a rotatable bollard used for securing and releasing heavy wire ropes.
Known bollards normally are of fixed construction, and are of generally cylindrical shape. For use on a ship it is usual to have a pair of cylinders quite close together.
The bollard of the invention is designed to be installed at the bow and stern of large vessels so as to secure and release the eye of a heavy wire-rope from a tug or another vessel; and to be installed on board floating terminals, oil rigs, barges and fixed oil field structures where heavy wire ropes are used and normally handled by gangs of men by appropriate equipment. It is also usuable on a jetty, set in concrete.
My invention provides the advantages that:
a) securing and releasing of a rope or hawser can be a one-man operation; PA0 b) power is no longer needed for releasing the rope; PA0 c) the heavy wire-ropes involved are untouched by man; and PA0 d) it avoids the use of "chain stoppers", with their inherent dangers. PA0 (a) a base portion comprising a flange which is securable to the deck of a vessel, oil rig, jetty or other structure and, upstanding from said flange a housing having a cylindrical interior and a tapered external skirt or tapered members fitted at an angle to the exterior of the housing and over which a rope or hawser can slide; PA0 (b) an upper portion having at its foot a cylinder which fits into the cylindrical interior of the base portion (a) so as to be manually rotatable therein, the upper end of this portion being a fin extended at an acute angle to the horizontal and terminating substantially in a narrow peak with a sharp upper edge, below which peak is formed a V-shaped notch whereunder the rope or hawser can be retained, the remaining upper surface of the fin being curved to allow the rope or hawser to slide thereover when it is being released, and PA0 (c) means for securing the portions (a) and (b) in a desired non-rotating position.